ABSTRACT
One of the most successful soldier art programmes was at Fort Custer near Battle Creek, Michigan, built in 1917. Studies of American art during the period of World War Two fail to acknowledge the 'soldier art' programmes that emerged in the numerous training camps around the United States between 1940 and 1944. In fact, the genesis of the army art programme can be shown to have been the camp art schemes that developed under the auspices of the Special Services Division of the War Department established in 1941 by the army to organise morale, recreation and welfare functions for soldiers. A number of the pictures were created even before America entered the war. The camp art programmes were a remarkable achievement bringing together disparate groups in wartime to support soldier-artists in recognition of their contribution to the war effort. The artists had moved on to more peaceful pursuits, and few gave any thought to their preservation.
